The episode kicks off with Lady Felicia Montague (Nancy Carroll), her voice tinged with urgency, seeking assistance from Eva Velasquez (Pepa Duarte) for an impending recitation of her freshly penned novel. Initially, Eva hesitates, citing time constraints, but swiftly conjures up the notion of enlisting the help of the Sisters of Aeschylus.
Hard on the heels of her encounter with Eva, Felicia confides in Father Brown (Mark Williams) about securing aid for her novel excerpt. With a bounce in her step, she extends invitations to him, Mrs. Devine (Claudie Blakley), and Brenda Palmer (Ruby-May Martinwood) to attend the reading, which they eagerly accept.
Eva, Frances Whitfield (Issy Van Randwyck), and Maxine Mortimer (Kaisa Hammarlund) are the pioneers to arrive at Felicia's grandeur estate, eagerly anticipating the literary event. As they engage in spirited discussions about the book, Father Brown, Devine, Brenda, and Chief Inspector Edgar Sullivan (Tom Chambers) grace the occasion. Just as the anticipation reaches its zenith, Sherman Quinn (John Hopkins) and Laurel Rush (Justina Kehinde) storm in, uninvited and unwelcome. Felicia clarifies that the reading for the publishers is still days away, on Friday, but Sherman, obstinate and persistent, insists on staying.
The reading, however, unfolds like a sorcerer's apprentice's disaster, with Sherman's inebriated rudeness casting a dark cloud over the proceedings. Father Brown, with a compassionate nudge, suggests Sherman retire to sober up. Despite the predominantly negative feedback, the attendees offer words of encouragement.
The morning after, Felicia discovers Sherman's lifeless body in the drawing room, a stark contrast to the night's festivities. Sullivan and Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton) are swiftly summoned, and Sullivan, noting the foam around Sherman's mouth, suggests cyanide poisoning. Father Brown, meanwhile, uncovers torn scraps of paper in the fireplace and a monogrammed signet ring lying beside it, adding layers of mystery to the grim discovery. As if on cue, Felicia receives an unexpected visitor—the Russian Ambassador, en route to her house due to her husband, Lord 'Monty' Montague's boasts that her novel is a tribute to Russian literature, heightening the stakes of this already intricate scenario.
As the Sisters lend Felicia their support in her literary endeavors, Laurel embarks on imparting Brenda's very first writing lesson, sparking the beginning of a creative journey. Meanwhile, Goodfellow and Sullivan arrive on the scene with intentions to apprehend Eva, having gleaned from eavesdropping that she had a heated exchange with Sherman and that the brand of cigarettes matching those found in the drawing room's ashtray ties her to the scene. Under Father Brown's inquisitive gaze, Eva confesses to her argument with Sherman, stemming from his refusal to publish her work or release her from her binding contract. Regarding the ring, she asserts that it belongs to Frances, hinting at rumors swirling around a possible affair between Frances and Sherman. Father Brown reassuringly vows to clear her name.
Frances, acknowledging the truth, confesses that the ring indeed belonged to Sherman and she wore it as a remnant of their past involvement. He had apparently reclaimed it quite forcefully on the fateful night of his demise. Amidst Father Brown's discussion with Felicia about the case, Frances interrupts with news of her upcoming role in a reading, with Laurel set to act as a mock publisher, but only if Felicia's excerpt meets their high standards.
Father Brown delves deeper into the mystery, questioning Maxine about the 35 pounds Felicia had paid her, a sum discovered in Sherman's jacket. When pressed further about her true identity, she reveals a poignant tale of love and identity theft—she and the real Maxine were so deeply intertwined in affection and similarity that she assumed her identity after her passing. Sherman, privy to this secret, had been blackmailing her. Despite this revelation, she maintains her innocence in Sherman's murder.
Later, Father Brown encounters Felicia, seeking refuge from the Sisters, and engages her in a heartfelt conversation about her book. Her doubts are palpable; she admits that her initial motivation was to gain recognition under her husband Monty's shadow. However, their discourse is abruptly cut short by Sullivan, informing Felicia that guests are to depart and that Eva stands accused of murder, with cyanide discovered in her photographic fixer compounding the evidence against her. This moment is once again interrupted by Frances, urging Felicia not to miss Maxine's crucial character development lesson.
The atmosphere turned slightly uncomfortable when Maxine tasked Sullivan and Felicia with performing a romantic scene. Right in the midst of their act, Devine unexpectedly walked in and left the room in silence, without uttering a word. Later on, Felicia made an announcement to the group, declaring her decision to deliver her reading in the first person. This revelation prompted Father Brown to excuse himself abruptly, sensing something peculiar.
Shortly afterward, Father Brown realized with a shock that the cyanide had been poisoned on a piece of paper. He discussed this discovery with Brenda and Devine, showing them a fragment of paper he had retrieved from the fireplace. Brenda immediately recognized Laurel's handwriting on it.
When Father Brown confronted Laurel about the paper, Frances and Maxine informed Felicia that her writing had only worsened. Laurel confessed that the paper belonged to her, explaining that it was from a daybook she had been keeping about Sherman's father's death. She had suspected Sherman of stealing the pages, which discussed her discovery of Samuel's heart medication in Sherman's briefcase.
Upon the ambassador's arrival, Father Brown requested a private conversation with Frances. He inquired about the length of her love for Samuel Quinn, leaving her momentarily stunned. He then explained how she had consulted Laurel's daybook to find the date of the funeral but instead discovered that Laurel had suspected Sherman of murdering his own father. Shortly after this revelation, Frances informed Felicia that she couldn't proceed with her reading due to an urgent matter for a friend, which left little doubt in their minds about her intentions.
To everyone's astonishment, Felicia didn't read an excerpt from her book. Instead, she read something written by Maxine and admitted that she had realized she wasn't a writer, but Maxine was. Maxine was showered with numerous offers afterward, and even Brenda's poem was going to be published. Devine could barely contain her words when Felicia thanked Sullivan for bringing Eva back to her house, embarrassing Felicia so much that she offered to assist with Sullivan and Devine's wedding planning. This unexpected twist marked the end of the episode, leaving the audience with a sense of unresolved drama and anticipation.
